Neil F. Polumbo Sr.
Neil F. Polumbo Sr., 94, of Tionesta, formerly of Hazleton, Pa., died on Tuesday, June 15, 2021, at UPMC Hamot, in Erie.
He was born Dec. 22, 1926, in Hazleton, and was the son of the late Ralph and Phyllis (Craig) Polumbo.
On Aug. 4, 1951, at Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Hazleton, he married Catherine Zebelin. Catherine died Jan. 13, 2018.
Neil graduated from Hazleton High School in 1944, then served his country with the U.S. Army Air Corps as an aviation cadet from 1944 to 1945.
He then went on to Penn State, where he earned his bachelor's degree in education (1950), his master's degree (1954), and earned his superintendent letter (1961). He was a very proud Penn State Alumnus.Neil was the Forest Area School District superintendent, based in Tionesta, which served all of the Forest County schools from 1975 to 1981.He and his wife were faithful members of St. Anthony Roman Catholic Church of Tionesta, and was a member of the Knights of Columbus Council 4881 of Tionesta. He was also a member of the Lions Club.Neil was active in Forest County Republican politics, and served as the majority party judge of elections, as well as a member of the Forest County Republican Committee, representing Green Township. He also was a PIAA referee for both basketball and football, and worked with the elderly with driver training under the 55 Alive Program, as well as income tax preparations.Surviving are a son, Neil F. Polumbo Jr. of Waterford, Pa; three daughters, Cathy (Polumbo) Wright and her husband, Bill, of Valencia, P.J. Polumbo of Waterford, and Cecilia Polumbo of Erie.Also surviving are two grandsons, Brian Wright, and Matthew Krepp and his wife, Brienne; three granddaughters, Lauren Wright, Trisha Krepp and Katelyn Polumbo; four great-grandsons, Allan Wright, Camdon Wright, Stephen Krepp and Brayden Krepp; and four great-granddaughters, Julie Wright, Elizabeth Krepp, Jordynn Krepp and Rylynd Krepp.In addition to his wife and parents, Neil was preceded in death by a brother, Dr. John Polumbo; a sister, Ann (Polumbo) Fierro; and a cousin, Mary Jane McHale, who was raised as a sibling.POLUMBO — Friends of Neil F. Polumbo Sr., who died Tuesday, June 15, 2021, will be received from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at Norman J. Wimer Funeral Home, 161 Elm St., Tionesta.The Knights of Columbus will recognize Neil's service to the KofC at 4 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.Visitation will continue from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday at Krapf & Hughes Funeral Home, 530 W. Butler Dr., Drums, Pa., followed by a blessing service at 1 p.m. at the funeral home.Burial will be alongside his wife, Catherine at Most Precious Blood Cemetery in Hazleton.Full military honors will be accorded.Memorial contributions may be made to the American Legion at www.legion.org; Wounded Warrior at www.woundedwarriorproject.org ; or to the Penn State Graduate School Future Fund at https://raise.psu.edu to make a gift (search and select Graduate School Future Fund).Messages of sympathy may be left at www.wimerfuneralhome.com or at www.khfuneralhomes.com.
